1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the data processing field and, more particularly, to a system, method and computer program product for communicating resource information over a network data processing system using presence.
2. Description of Related Art
Instant messaging (IM) is an online chat medium that allows users to communicate with one another in real-time over a network data processing system. Instant messaging is commonly used over the Internet, and is analogous to a telephone conversation between two individuals but uses text-based communication rather than voice-based communication. In an instant messaging system, a communication session between two users is initiated by one user selecting a person with whom he desires to communicate. The user then types a message in a dialog box in a window and presses “send”. The sent message appears instantly on the selected person's computer. During a communication session each party can create and send desired messages to the other party.
In addition to enabling users to communicate in real time during a communication session, an instant messaging system also includes a capability of monitoring and reporting the status of users that have established each other as online contacts. This monitoring and reporting capability is referred to as “presence” and enables one user to detect whether other users are online. Typically, presence alerts a user whenever a particular individual on the user's private list, often referred to as a “Buddy List”, is online. The user can then initiate a communication session with that particular individual.
In addition to reporting whether a particular individual is online, current presence systems also include a capability of transmitting limited information regarding the availability of an individual that is online to participate in a communication session. In particular, an individual may create an “away message” to be communicated as presence information. The away message may include, for example, limited information indicating the reason an individual is not presently available for a communication session, or information as to when the individual is expected to be available for a communication session.
Basically, a presence system includes software that sends a heartbeat signal via a presence network to determine if particular individuals are online. Presence information is sent to a user over the presence network via a presence packet.
It would be desirable to utilize the presence capability of an instant messaging system to communicate information concerning a managed resource over a network data processing system